NBA commerce season is approaching beginning Dec. 15 when newly signed gamers might be dealt, and which means Shams Charania is working time beyond regulation. The long-time NBA insider is in his first season at ESPN after changing the legend Adrian Wojnarowski, and he reported the primary huge identify to come back onto the market earlier this week.
The Miami Warmth are listening to presents on veteran star Jimmy Butler in line with Charania, with Butler’s camp reportedly preferring to land with the Dallas Mavericks. Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors, or Phoenix Suns. Charania attributed his report back to Butler’s agent, Bernie Lee. There’s solely downside: Lee stated the report is totally fabricated.
Lee fired again at Charania on Wednesday evening with a collection of Twitter posts calling out the reporter’s credibility. Charania shot again on Thursday throughout an look on ESPN’s First Take, and stated his report is “1,000% information.”
Listed here are Lee’s posts questioning Charania’s report about Butler:
Alright pay attention. I gave you a move yesterday as a result of I used to be busy however should you don’t cease placing my identify in your full and utter made up bullshit as a result of you recognize you usually arent price my time to acknowledge.. (continued) https://t.co/1KOXza9kUI
— Bernard Lee (@BernieoLee) December 11, 2024
I don’t know what I’m going to do as a result of I’m a center aged dad however simply know it might point out extreme dislike. World… all that is fabricated. I’ve by no means and actually it wouldn’t assist me or the place I characterize to do something that’s been reported by stated “journalist” https://t.co/1KOXza9SKg
— Bernard Lee (@BernieoLee) December 11, 2024
Shams that is your alternative to say my dangerous “I let chat GPT write my tweets and it went old fashioned Peter Vescey..” (Shams Peter was a author within the 90’s) be a pattern setter.. invent the brand new I used to be hacked. Stick with it all. Thanks. https://t.co/1KOXza9kUI
— Bernard Lee (@BernieoLee) December 11, 2024
These are some robust phrases from Lee. It’s odd that Charania would put Lee’s identify instantly in his report if the agent was going to shoot it down so vehemently, however generally that’s how the sport works.
These Butler rumors didn’t precisely come out of nowhere. High Warmth government Pat Riley publicly challenged Butler after final season, saying the star must “preserve his mouth shut” about different groups and brazenly questioning if Butler could possibly be sturdy sufficient to remain on the ground. The 35-year-old Butler has a participant choice after this season and is searching for a brand new long-term deal.
Charania went on ESPN on Wednesday and reported that Butler by no means requested a commerce. ESPN colleague Brian Windhorst added that Butler’s choice is to re-sign with the Warmth.
“I believe Jimmy Butler’s choice could be to signal an extension in Miami. … Pat Riley got here out on the finish of final season and stated that is not what the Warmth had been doing.” @WindhorstESPN on Jimmy Butler’s future with the Miami Warmth pic.twitter.com/bCZz4EYovv
— First Take (@FirstTake) December 12, 2024
Not that we essentially wanted this clarification, however Shams simply stated on First Take that Jimmy Butler has not requested a commerce.
Windhorst added that Butler’s choice could be to signal a max contract with the Warmth.
Each acknowledge that the contract weighs closely on…
— Wes Goldberg (@wcgoldberg) December 12, 2024
Charania then went on to defend his report. He stated stands behind his reporting that Butler prefers to be traded to the Rockets, Mavs, Warriors, or Suns if he’s dealt.
Right here’s a clip of Shams defending his report:
The battle between Jimmy Butler’s agent, Bernie Lee, and Shams Charania continues on this morning.
Shams has tripled-down on his Butler reporting with Stephen A. Smith in a First Take look.
“I 1000% stand by my reporting.” pic.twitter.com/Ojj6pztxOU
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) December 12, 2024
Butler’s participant choice is for $52.4 million subsequent yr. Charania’s authentic report stated that Butler intends to choose out and seek for a long-term deal. With so few groups having wage cap area subsequent summer season, it’s unlikely he’s going to method that annual wage in a brand new deal with no commerce.
The Warmth have been a middling workforce within the Japanese Convention ever since their Cinderella run to the 2023 NBA Finals as a No. 8 seed. Miami has stabilized a bit recently, and are at the moment in a protected East playoff seed at 12-10 total. The Warmth are getting a tremendous yr out of Tyler Herro whereas Bam Adebayo performs beneath his common requirements. Butler has been good when he’s been on the ground.
It certain looks like trades are going to be arduous to make this yr due to the brand new CBA, which triggers for arduous caps and punitive luxurious tax penalties all through the settlement. The Warmth don’t wish to tie huge cash to Butler if he can’t ship them one other deep playoff run. Butler needs to safe what could be very seemingly the final huge contract of his profession.
The Butler commerce rumors aren’t going away. No matter the way it performs out, Charania’s feud with Lee can be a subplot to observe till Butler’s future is resolved.
